Personnel of Nigerian Navy Ship Lugard (NNSL), Lokoja on Tuesday intercepted and arrested two suspects with over 400 kilogrammes of substance suspected to be cannabis sativa (Indian hemp) along the Ajaokuta – Lokoja road in Kogi State.
The Commander, NNS Lugard Lokoja, Commondore Ugochukwu Ajulu who paraded the two suspects, Denis Foukorighe, a retired Corporal in the Army and Paul Obor on Friday in Lokoja, before handing them and the illicit substance over to officers of the NDLEA, said the culprits loaded the substance in a Honda accord saloon car conveying the items from Edo state to Area 1, in Abuja.
The Commander added that they were arrested on Tuesday during the Navy usual snap checks operations along the Ajaokuta – Lokoja road in Kogi state.
He said “We are here at NNS Lugard Lokoja to hand over the two culprits and the illicit substances weighing over 400 kilogrammes including a Honda salon car to NDLEA officials for onward prosecution in the law court”
While urging all security check points in the state to be wary of people transporting illicit substances through the state to other location across the country, Commodore Ajulu noted that the Navy checkpoints in Kogi have been very active inline with the mandate given to them by the Chief of Naval Staff Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, stating that the mandate has started yielding result with the Tuesday’s interception of illicit drugs.
He charged Nigerian youth to engage in lawful businesses that will give them legitimate livelihood instead of unlawful business that will land them in jail.
“The youth should learn trades that can give them legitimate livelihood. There is no excuse whatsoever for any body to indulge in an illicit business. I am appealing to Nigerian youth to desist from every forms of illicit businesses because there are many legitimate things they can do to earn a living.
“They can learn capintry, auto-mechanic, tailoring mason among others that can sources of livelihood to them. The youth should look inward into what they can do legitimately that can benefit them and the society at large” Commodore Ajulu said.
The Officer in charge of Strick Force NDLEA, Kogi State Command ,Supretendent of Narcotics Olorunfemi Abolarinwa, who received the two culprits on behalf of the agency , said the suspects will be investigated thoroughly before they face prosecution in the law court to serve as deterrent to others.
“It is evidently clear that any where there is illicit drugs , there are series of crimes being perpetrated. As agency in the fight against illicit drugs we will continue to sensitize the citizens on the need to do away with dealing in all prohibited drugs because of it’s adverse effect to people” he stated.
